The European Commission plans to begin the twin program for Azerbaijan within the National Action Plan of Tacis for 2006 fiscal year.
The Director of the Co-ordination Office of European Union Technical Assistance Program for Azerbaijan (Tacis), Asker Alekperov, informed Trend that the formation of the projects that will be included in the twin program has already begun. Generally it is intended to realize 6 projects, with the realization period from 12 to 18 months and cost in amount of в'¬1 mln.
The gross budget of the twin programs amounts to в'¬6,5 mln, в'¬0,5 mln out of which is intended for the office expenses.
According to Alekperov, it is intended within the program to render technical assistance for the modernization system of standardization (for the State Agency for Standardization, Metrology and Patent) and expertise of the quality of the products (for the Expertise Center of the Economic Development Ministry). Assistance will be provided to the Azerbaijan Parliament in trainings staffs and increasing the potential of the Parliament, State Commission for Fight with Corruption and State Committee on State Property Management.
One more project will be devised for implementing the Memorandum on the energy partnership signed between the European Union and Azerbaijan.
According to Alekperov, presently the foreign consultants are assisting in preparing the grounds, on base of which the contractors for each project will prepare the technical task.